Creative Strategy in a Cultural Shift

"Creative freedom, timely messaging, and purposeful entertainment. Make people feel seen and comforted. Familiar shows can do that, and so can thoughtful, relatable design.”

TBS is a well-known cable television channel and streaming app, recognized for its sports coverage, comedy programming, and reruns of iconic shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Seinfeld.

The Opportunity - This campaign launched during the pandemic, when audiences were spending more time at home and turning to streaming platforms for entertainment. TBS wanted to highlight its streaming catalog and increase app engagement, specifically, time spent watching and user retention.

With so many streaming services competing for attention, it was important to showcase what made TBS stand out: access to fan-favorite series and a comforting, comedic tone that resonated in a stressful moment.

Unlike other campaigns with tighter parameters, this one came with more creative freedom, giving us room to explore a range of ad formats and messaging.

I led the development of the campaign strategy and execution, working closely with our design team to build a compelling, binge-worthy creative suite. We proposed multiple concepts to test effectiveness, ranging from humorous video clips to interactive, game-like ads designed to increase engagement.

I sourced footage directly from show archives and the TBS website, guided by a list of high-priority titles they wanted to feature. From there, I oversaw concept development, built high-fidelity mockups, and led animation and interactive coding using a mix of in-house tools and After Effects.

The Solution - We created a set of video-first and interactive formats that leaned into pandemic-era relatability and humor. The idea was to make users curious “What happens next in that episode?”while also tapping into the cultural moment of binge-watching.

Some of the standout creatives included:

• A scene from Friends where Ross hoards hotel toiletries (mirroring real-life toilet paper stockpiling).
• A Big Bang Theory clip where Sheldon builds a robot to avoid human contact, capturing the absurdity of lockdown life.
• Playable ads with trivia games that helped users decide “What to watch next?”
• Animated posters of new releases, designed to be visually dynamic even without video.

We reinforced core messages like Binge-Watch Now, What’s New, and Watch Next across every unit, making the campaign feel cohesive and purpose-driven.

The Process - The creative ideas flowed naturally, partly because my team and I were already fans of many of the featured shows, and partly because of the real-world context of the campaign. I began by gathering show clips and references, benchmarking against other streaming ads, and experimenting with tone and format.

Once we settled on the top creative directions, I led the buildout of high-fidelity mockups, provided design feedback to the team, and animated some graphic elements using After Effects. For more complex interactivity, I worked directly with the team’s developer to ensure a smooth and engaging user experience.

The client was thrilled with the final creative suite. The variety of formats helped reduce ad fatigue and kept the campaign fresh over time. TBS increased their budget and extended the campaign, repurposing the ad templates for other shows and even future movie releases.

This project reminded me of the power of humor and nostalgia during difficult times. Finding creative ways to reflect reality, without making light of it, can make people feel seen and comforted. Familiar shows can do that, and so can thoughtful, relatable design.

This campaign was a rare combination of creative freedom, timely messaging, and purposeful entertainment. By blending humor, interactivity, and cultural context, we delivered a campaign that not only resonated with viewers but helped TBS stand out in a crowded streaming landscape.